Footwear with externally activated switch

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an electrical circuit having a battery, one or more integrated circuits connected to an array of LEDs and to a loudspeaker, and, a number of switches which are operative to activate the integrated circuit(s) in response to motion of the footwear and/or the application of a magnetic field from a permanent magnet located externally of the article of footwear.

1. An article of footwear, comprising:
 an outsole, and an upper mounted to said outsole; 
 an electrical circuit including:
 (i) a number of different indicia mounted to at least one of said outsole and said upper; 
 (ii) a switch coupled to each of said indicia; 
 (iii) a loudspeaker mounted to at least one of said outsole and said upper; and 
 (iv) a controller coupled to said switches and to said loudspeaker; 
 
 a magnet located externally of said outsole and said upper, said magnet being movable into sufficient proximity with each of said switches so that the magnetic field of said magnet can activate each switch independently of one another; 
 said controller being operative in response to activation of one switch by said magnet to cause said loudspeaker to sound a message specifying a sequence of said indicia, said controller then causing said loudspeaker to sound a positive or negative message dependent on whether said magnet is positioned to activate the switch of each identified indicia in the specified sequence. 
 
     
     
       2. The article of footwear of  claim 1  in which said indicia is a number of sections each having a different shape. 
     
     
       3. The article of footwear of  claim 2  in which each of said indicia is a section of different color. 
     
     
       4. The article of footwear of  claim 1  in which said controller is a sound integrated circuit. 
     
     
       5. The article of footwear of  claim 1  in which said magnet is a permanent magnet mounted to a toy. 
     
     
       6. The article of footwear of  claim 1  further including a light integrated circuit and at least one LED coupled to said light integrated circuit, said light integrated circuit being operative to illuminate said at least one LED. 
     
     
       7. The article of footwear of  claim 6  further including an inertia switch coupled to said light integrated circuit, said inertia switch being effective to activate said light integrated circuit in response to motion. 
     
     
       8. An article of footwear, comprising:
 an outsole, and an upper mounted to said outsole; 
 an electrical circuit, including:
 (i) a number of indicia mounted to at least one of said outsole and said upper; 
 (ii) a first switch coupled to each of said indicia; 
 (iii) a loudspeaker mounted to at least one of said outsole and said upper; 
 (iv) a first controller coupled to each of said first switches and to said loudspeaker; 
 (v) at least one light source; 
 (vi) a second switch; 
 (vii) a second controller coupled to said second switch and to said at least one light source; 
 
 a magnet located externally of said outsole and said upper, said magnet being movable into sufficient proximity with each of said first switches so that the magnetic field of said magnet activates said first switches independently of one another; 
 said first controller being operative in response to activation of one of said first switches by said magnet to cause said loudspeaker to sound a message specifying a sequence of said indicia, said first controller then causing said loudspeaker to sound a positive or negative message dependent on whether said magnet is positioned to activate the first switch of each identified indicia in the specified sequence; 
 said second switch being effective to activate said second controller which illuminates said at least one light source. 
 
     
     
       9. The article of clothing of  claim 8  in which said first controller is a sound integrated circuit. 
     
     
       10. The article of footwear of  claim 8  in which said second controller is a light integrated circuit. 
     
     
       11. The article of footwear of  claim 8  in which said indicia is a number of sections each having a different shape. 
     
     
       12. The article of footwear of  claim 8  in which each of said indicia is a section of different color. 
     
     
       13. The article of clothing of  claim 8  in which said magnet is a permanent magnet mounted to a toy. 
     
     
       14. The article of clothing of  claim 8  in which each of said first switches is a reed switch. 
     
     
       15. The article of clothing of  claim 8  in which said second switch is an inertia switch.